Monday, July 27, 2020

Chef Gerald Allen's Smoked Chicken Dinners and Wendy Ketcham's Pies....



Back by popular demand! Chef Allen's amazing smoked chickens and farm fresh sides were a hit at our farm stand this past weekend and we're doing it again THIS SATURDAY, August 1st. We sold out in less than 24 hours last week so be sure to pre-order yours at the stand or via PayPal with the link below and be guaranteed a Saturday night dinner you won't soon forget! Pickup is between 3 pm and 5 pm.
What's On The Menu?
Smoked Half Chicken
Pint of Garlic Scape & Herb Potato Salad
Pint of Homemade Slaw
Pint of Homemade Pickles
$24.50 for all of the above
Place Your Order Here for Saturday Pickup by Clicking Here. Individual chickens and sides can be purchased a la carte at the farm stand.

Wendy Ketcham’s bakes the amazing pies you may have seen at our farm stand this season. They are delivered Thursday-Sunday each week in limited supply. The pies are $28 each and worth every penny! We think it's important you know where your food comes from so here's a little bio/background on our fantastic "pie lady".
Wendy is a Cordon Bleu London Diploma Graduate (the 1974 class). She managed and opened a restaurant in Denver Colorado in 1978 & 1979. After that Wendy and her husband moved to Tortola, BVI where she opened and managed the restaurant at Fort Burt. In 1985 Wendy and her family moved to Wilmington Delaware where she gave cooking classes in Hockessin at “Everything but the Kitchen Sink” for a few years and made delicious and hugely popular pies for SIW! In 2000 we lost Wendy when she moved to Massachusetts and worked in the kitchen of the Boston Yacht Club in Marblehead. Back to Wilmington she came in 2004 and worked as a Legal Assistant. On the move again, in 2010 Wendy moved back to the BVI and worked as a private chef for tourists and residents for 8 years. Following Hurricane Irma, Wendy worked in Steamboat Springs at the restaurant Aurum in the pantry making salads and deserts for a year. Back to the BVI she went and cooked another year. Thankfully Wendy is back in Wilmington forever and is happy to be making pies and other baked goods for SIW. If you're as exhausted as we are reading this you'll be further amazed to know in between all these moves and jobs Wendy and her husband raised four sons and they now have two grandchildren!

Monday, July 20, 2020

Lots of Amazing Things are Happening at SIW!

 A Virtual Sommelier is Available for All of Our Field to Fork Dinners this Season!

 

We are excited to collaborate on natural wine selections for the Field to Fork dinners with sommelier Sam Anderson. He draws on 12+ years as a Beverage Director and Sommelier in Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-winning restaurants in New York City including Contra, Wildair, and Mission Chinese Food. Sam and his wife Taylor recently moved to the Brandywine Valley and he is now importing natural wines to the state with his company Ouro Wine Selections. "Natural wines" are made by winemakers who farm organically and who do not add preservatives or additives. The wines respect the earth's environment and you'll feel much better the next day.
Sam is curating a changing selection of natural wines that will complement each dinner and chef's perspective. These wines will all be available at the fantastic local wine shop Swigg, located at 1601 Concord Pike in the Independence Mall.  Additionally, if you would like to get in touch with Sam to have him pick out wines specifically for your party, he is available to do so by phone or email:  sam@ouro-wines.com and 402-304-9190. Follow him on IG at @ourowineselections

 

 

Speaking of Field to Fork Dinners.... 

 

We've added Chef Gerald Allen from Eat Blvck in Philadelphia to our dinner series lineup on 9/23/20.  
Click Here for Tickets to Attend

 Speaking of Chef Gerald Allen....

 

We're thrilled to be offering some of Chef Allen's amazing food at our farm stand THIS SATURDAY, July 25th. Chef Allen will be smoking chickens and offering spectacular sides made from our fresh farm stand produce. Preorder yours at the stand or via PayPal with the links below and be guaranteed a Saturday night dinner you won't soon forget! Pickup is between 3 pm and 6 pm.

What's On The Menu?

Smoked Half Chicken, Pints of Garlic Scape & Herb Potato Salad, Tomato Salad, and Homemade Pickles
Place Your Order Here for Saturday Pickup by Clicking the links below. Individual sides can be purchased a la carte at the farm stand.

SORRY CHICKENS ARE SOLD OUT!


*please note a small surcharge has been added for costs associated with utilizing a credit card through PayPal. Thank you.  
 

Monday, July 13, 2020

Thinking About Joining Us for a Field to Fork Dinner?



If you've never attended a Field to Fork Dinner, here are some fun facts, frequently asked questions, and information that will hopefully convince you to join us!


What is the history of the property?
Sections of the massive barn date back to the 1660’s.  Parts of the main house date back to 1816.  Over time it’s gone by many names, including Pyle Farm and Hill Girt Farm. There are currently multiple conservation easements on the 700 acre farm dating back to the first one placed on the flood plain in 1969, permanently preserving its natural beauty and contributing to local sustainable agriculture. HG grows approximately 50 acres of vegetables of more than 50 different types and hundreds of varieties. SIW Vegetables was founded in 1986.
Fun Fact: Director M. Night Shyamalan filmed his 2004 movie “The Village” on the farm.

Who owns the Farm?
The farm has been owned by the Haskell family since 1910 when it was purchased by Harry G. Haskell, the du Pont executive for whom the company’s Stine-Haskell Research Center in Newark was named. Harry’s son, Hal Haskell, a former Delaware congressman (1957-1959) and mayor of Wilmington (1969-1973), who still lives on the property, placed the farm on a conservation easement with the Brandywine Conservancy in 1969.  The current owner, H.G. Haskell III, Harry Haskell’s grandson, continues his families legacy by operating SIW Vegetables, which supplies more than thirty types of fruits and vegetables to area residents, restaurants and visitors to the Brandywine Valley.  For more information and details about the farms produce market and events we encourage you to visit our social media pages: 
Facebook @siwveggies / Instagram @siwveggies / Twitter @siwvegetables 

Is this a sit-down meal?
Yes.  We will have a delicious dinner with vegetables from the farm served family style.  The menu will showcase locally sourced ingredients and will include vegetarian and gluten-free options.  If you or your guest has allergies that you would like the Chef to be aware of, please email siwveggies@gmail.com.

Will there be alcohol served?
Field to Fork dinners are BYOB, so please feel free to bring a special bottle of wine to enjoy!
NEW THIS YEAR- WE'RE WORKING WITH SAM ANDERSON TO OFFER YOU A VIRTUAL SOMMELIER EXPERIENCE WITH AMAZING NATURAL WINES. STAY TUNED FOR MORE INFORMATION VERY SOON!

When should I arrive?
We gather from 6-6:30 pm. Seating for dinner begins at 6:45 pm.

Are there animals on the farm?
Although the farm is primarily focused on growing produce, it hosts a number of horses, including some that came to the farm through a rescue program.  The stables are behind the barn.

What happens if the weather is bad?
The interior of the barn is a great party space rain or shine.  Keep in mind, if raining, the grounds from the car to the barn will be muddy.  Bring an umbrella if raining to get from parking area to the barn. 

What’s the dress code?
The dress code is casual.  Please feel free to wear jeans.  Casual footwear is strongly encouraged-boots, flats, shoes that allow you to comfortably navigate the historic barn and the surrounding farm.

What about COVID-19 issues?
We are abiding by all State of PA regulations regarding the number of diners, mask wearing and social distancing guidelines. We will provide diners with specific information as the individual dinner dates approach (guidelines are ever changing and will likely not be the same for those in August later in the season).

Is the site accessible for those with mobility issues?
Guests can access the barn and surrounding paths without navigating steps.  There’s an incline to get into the barn.  The restrooms, which are house in a trailer, near the barn require walking up two steps.  If you have mobility concerns, please contact  siwveggies@gmail.com for more information. 

How much are tickets and how to I purchase them?
Tickets are $93 per person and can be purchased at the farm stand with cash or check or online via PayPal (*please note, there is a $2.75 per ticket convenience fee when paying online).

Should you have any additional questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out via email: siwveggies@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing you!

August 5th - Jeffrey Miller of JAM Caterers in Philadelphia
Click here to purchase:

September 16th - Dan Butler of Toscana in DE
Click here to purchase:

September 30th- Dan Tagle of Krazy Kat's at the In at Montchanin in DE
Click here to purchase:

 
 



Saturday, July 4, 2020

Farm Stand Update

Our Farm Stand is OPEN Daily 9 am - 6 pm
until October 31st
*Disclaimer for all of our fans. If you've noticed prices are a little higher at all of our farm stands, they are. We apologize but due to a colder spring, COVID, and other circumstances, prices are up. We are cognizant of this and will be working hard as the season progresses to lower them. This is not a sneaky way to send our farmer on a fancy tropical vacation. It's a sad reality of the increased price of all food right now. We know how hard you work for your $ (we do to!) and wanted to be transparent with you. Please stick with us. Thanks. We LOVE our customers!!!!
We've moved into the Green phase. We do still have some rules and guidelines to follow to keep everyone safe when visiting our farm stand. For more info on what it means to be Green, simply Click Here.
Our staff is happy to help, just ask!
  • Please wear a mask at all times in our market. Reminder that masks are required for all children over the age of 2.
  • Please keep a social distance from others when milling about the stand and in line.
  • Sanitize your hands before entering & after leaving to keep germs at bay.
  • Don't eat or drink at the farm stand. Please take your purchases home to enjoy
Thanks is advance for your understanding as we keep SIW Veggies a safe & enjoyable place to shop and work.
Open 9 am - 6 pm Daily (including July 4th and Labor Day)
4317 South Creek Road, Chadds Ford, PA
For questions, phone or email HG "The Farmer"
Phone- 610-715-7688 / Email- siwveggies@gmail.com
**Reminder that CSA members receive a 10% discount on farm stand purchases. This cannot be combined with any other coupons/offers. 
SIW Vegetables is BANNING THE BAG!
In our great efforts of going green and reflecting the farm’s culture of loving the environment & helping save our beautiful planet, SIW Veggies has decided to BAN all plastic bags at the farm! Moving forward as the season begins, we will replace plastic bags with biodegradable bags that you can toss in a compost bucket or trash at home. You may bring your own reusable bags or baskets when shopping at the farm stand. We will also be selling reusable bags for $1.25 at the stand for you to use.

Friday, July 3, 2020

Field To Fork Dinners Have Returned!

Field to Fork Dinners

We are pleased to announce the return of our special summer dining series. Thank you to these Chefs for working with us, during these challenging times, to put together our Field to Fork dinners. We look forward to bringing you additional dates in the near future.

Please note, dinners will be limited to a smaller seating capacity than previous years and overall food prices are higher, thereby increasing our ticket prices. As we get closer to each date we will provide our diners with any specific information related to masks, social distancing, etc. We look forward to breaking bread this year, more than ever, with all of you.

Tickets are $93 pp and can be purchased at the farm stand (cash and checks accepted) or online via PayPal (**please note there is a $2.75 pp PayPal fee added to the ticket price).
Jeffrey A. Miller is Chef/Owner of JAM Catering, one of the premier wedding caterers in the Philadelphia area. He has raving fans online (not a small feat with Bridezillas!) and right here at SIW. Jeffrey is back again to create another memorable meal for us and we couldn't be more pleased to have him return. 
 
Congratulations to Chef Dan Butler for his recent Best of Delaware award for "Neighborhood Italian Restaurant". If you've even been to "Toscana", as we locals call it, you won't be disappointed. Chef Butler has been a loyal Field to Fork supporter and we can't wait to see what he has in store for our guests this year!

 Eat Blvck is a culinary collective headed by Chefs Gerald Allen and Khoran Horn. Chef Allen graduated from Johnson & Wales University, and has had acclaim in his culinary career. Chef Allen’s path through the kitchen has seen stints on both coasts. Roles as Executive Chef and Food & Beverage Director have granted him the opportunity to further his knowledge in all things food in his current role as Culinary Educator.
 
Dan Tagle is another "Chef In Residence" at SIW. Year after year he "brings it" and wows our diners. Dan is the Chef at Krazy Kat's Restaurant at the Inn at Montchanin Village and is also a private caterer. 
 
Feel free to reach out to us with any questions at siwveggies@gmail.com. Hope to see you at the farm!